Concentrator.



W. P. OGDEN.

CONOEN'I'RATOB..

APPLIUATION FILED SEPT. 13, 1909.

Patented Sept. 26, 1911.v

n sums-snm 2 5mm/tof,

WILLIAM IP. OGDEN, 0F DENVER, COLORADO.

CONCENTRATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 26, 1911.

Application filed September 13, 1909. Serial No. 517,457.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM P. OGDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Concentrators; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in concentrators, my object being to separate the metallic values from the gangue 1n the treatment of either placer material or pulverized quartz.

My improved construction consists of a longitudinally-inclined sluice whose bottom is provided with diagonal grooves, rittles or corrugations, the sluice being also transversely inclined so that the discharge eX- tremities of the grooves on one longitudinal j edge of the sluice are more elevated than points directly opposite on the other longitudinal edge of the sluice, the depth of the grooves being suflicient to prevent the concentrates, which enter them, from escaping and traveling directly across the sluice toward the lower, longitudinal edge thereof. The longitudinal incline of the sluice is sufficient to cause the concentrates to travel forwardly in the grooves and discharge at points on one edge of the sluice which are higher than points directly opposite on the other edge. The gangue, however, which is lighter than the concentrates and therefore held in suspension by the water above the l grooves or corrugations, flows toward the lower, longitudinal edge of the sluice and is therefore quickly and thoroughly separated from the concentrates producing a remarkably clean product. This is a new principle in concentration, so far as I am aware.

Having briefly outlined my improved construction, I will proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In this drawing: Figure 1 is a top lan View of my improved concentrator. Flg. 2 is a fragmentary, longitudinal section taken through the bottom of the sluice on the line 22, Fig. 1, shown on a larger scale and indicating the transverse inclination of the sluice. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the apparatus without indicating the transverse inclination of the sluice. Fig. 4 is a rear end elevat-ion without indicating the longitudinal inclination, but showing the transverse inclination. This is a view looking in the direction of arrow 3, Fig. 1.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral designate a concentrating sluice, or box, which, as shown in the drawing, is open at both ends. This sluice is provided with side pieces G and a bottom 7, to which is applied a rubber covering 8, whose surface is corrugated, as shown at 9, the corrugations being disposed diagonally of the length of the sluice, preferably forming an angle of 30 degrees approximately with the sides tl. This sluice or box is longitudinally inclined, as shown in Fig. 3, and transversely inclined as shown in Fig. 4. The bottom of the sluice is provided along` the edge uppermost with reference tol its transverse inclination, with a longitudinal groove or channel 10, into which the concentrates are discharged from the diagonally disposed grooves or corrugations of the rubber bottom. The bottom of the channel 10, is provided with openings 12, located at suitable intervals, registering with pipes 13, through which the concentrates may be drawn off from the groove or channel.

The box or sluice 5, is supported upon a framework 14. provided with legs 15, there being two legs on each side, the two pairs of legs being located near the opposite extremities of the sluice. Each leg 15, is provided with an angle bracket 16, whose horizontal arm 17, is provided with a threaded opening, which is engaged by an adjusting screw 18, whose upper extremity is provided with a crank 19, having an upwardly projecting handle 20, for` convenience of manipulation. The lower extremity of each adjusting screw is ball-shaped, as shown at 21, and engages a shallow recess formed in a plate 22. These adjusting screws are employed for regulating both the longitudinal and the transverse inclinations of the sluice, as may be required. It is evident that in treating different classes of material, it may be necessary to change these inclinations, and the adjusting screws make this feature comparatively simple.

The sluice is provided at its upper extreinity with a feed box 23, into which the material to be treated is discharged. This box protrudes into the upper extremity of the sluice and is provided with a discharge opening 24;, through which the material in the feed box escapes to the concentrating surface of the sluice. At the lower extremity of the sluice is located a tro-ugh 25, adapted to receive the gangue after it has been deprived of its `metallic values, which have been caught by the corrugations of the rubber bottom, and discharged into the longitudinal channel or groove l0.

The material to be treated, is discharged into the feed box in the form of pulp, or in combination with sufficient water to forni a solution of suitable consistency. As the material is discharged into the feed box, it passes by virtue of its mobile condition directly to the upper extremity of the concentrating surface of the sluice. The downward inclination of the sluice, naturally causes the material to take a downward course, and during its longitudinal passage over the co-rrugated concentrating surface A. of the sluice, the metallic values which are heavier than the gaiigue, stratify or settle iii the grooves or corrugations ofthe rubber bottom, while' the water and gangue pass over the corrugations of the rubber bottom, and are discharged into the trough or launder 25.

The transverse inclination of the sluice is an exceedingly important feature, since the metallic values are compelled to move downwardly upon the corrugated concentrating surface of the bottom of the sluice, in order to. enter the longitudinal groove or channel l0, at the upper longitudinal edge of the sluice, with which the corrugations of the rubber bottom communicate at their lower extremities. By virtue o-f this arrangement, the gangue or lighter portion of the material, will naturally travel transversely downwardly, while the metallic values will be caught by the diagonal corrugations or grooves of the concentrating surface, and gradually discharged into the channel l0, the discharge extremities of the diagonal grooves being higher than corresponding points upon the opposite longitudinal edge of the sluice.

It will be understood that the longitudinal and transverse inclinations of the sluice must be so arranged relatively, that the material which settles in the grooves, will follow those grooves downwardly and discharge at the upper longitudinal edge of the sluice. rlhe discharge extremities of t-hesc grooves are lower than the extremities or portions of the grooves where the material settles therein, but they are higher than corresponding points upon the opposite longitudinal edge of the sluice. Hence, the lighter material or the gangue which is not tlie upper longitudinal edge of the sluice.

lf the concentrating surface of the sluice were smooth, there would be no discharge into the trough or channel at the upper longitudinal edge of the sluice since the heavy material as well as the lighter gangue would vall move transversely downwardly and if 'uninterrupted would discharge at the lower flongitudinal edge o-f the sluice unless the flatter were comparatively short in which event some of the material might reach its lower longitudinal extremity. From this it will be understood that with a moderate `transverse inclination as indicated in the drawing, the heavy material as the metallic values which settle in the bottom of the diagonal grooves, would have to travel up a steep incline in order to get out of these grooves, but this it cannot do and consequently must continue its downward diago- =iial direction and discharge into the channel at the upper longitudinal edge of the sluice. The principle is that the heavy material which settles in the grooves must follow these grooves downwardly and discharge at the upper longitudinal edge of the sluice because the material would have to run up a steep hill, so to speak, to get out of the grooves before it could move transversely downwardly. lThe principle is the same as the fiow of water in a ditchformed upon a side hill or mountain slope, in a direction at an angle to the slope. In this case, the water follows the channel of the stream because it cannot get out of said channel. If the bank of the channel were removed on the lower side, the water would take the shortest course down the mountain side. In

lthe same manner if the wall of any groove on the side toward the lower longitudinal edge of the sluice were remo-ved, the material would escape from the groove in the direction of the transverse inclination of the' while the points B, B, B2, B3, etc., are the discharge extremities of the grooves C, C", C2, etc. In this case the concentrates which enter the groove C, for instance, are dis charged at B, and yet the point BG is higher than the point Gr on the opposite edge of the sluice by a predetermined vertical distance, which for the part of the sluice shown in Fig. 2, is the vertical distance from E to F, and still it is evident that the material cannot get out of the groove C in the direction of the lower, longitudinal edge of the sluice, since in order to do so, it would have to run up the incline H, or uphill, so to speak.

The feed box 23 is equipped with an adjustable finger or separating arm 26, which is pivotally connected with the feed box, as shown at 27. At the upper edge of the said box, this linger divides the feed box into two co-mpartments 28 and 29. The pulp or material to be treated is fed to the compartment 29, which is the larger and which extends toward the lower, longitudinal edge 6 of the sluice; the compartment 28 is toward the upper, longitudinal edge of the sluice and is adapted to receive the wash water. By adjusting this finger, the wash `water may be delivered to a greater or less width of the sluice, as may be desired. As this wash water is discharged at the upper extremity of the sluice and at the upper, longitudinal edge thereof, itr performs an important function in separating the gangue from the concentrates, the gangue being carried toward the lower longitudinal edge of the table, while the concentrates, which are caught in the diagonal grooves of the sluice, are carried toward the upper, longitudinal edge of the sluice, as heretofore explained.

Havingf thus described my invention, what I claim is:

, 1. A stationary longitudinally and transversely inclined concentrating sluice whose bottom is provided with grooves extending diagonally thereacross, the lower extremities of the grooves terminating at the upper longitudinal edge of the sluice and at points which are higher than corresponding points directly across on the opposite side of the sluice, the transverse inclination of the sluice being so regulated as not to tip the material out of the grooves in the direction of its lower longitudinal edge, the bottom of the sluice having a channel extending lengthwise thereof and at the upper longitudinal edge of the sluice, whereby the diagonally arranged grooves of the concentrating sur face communicate at their lower extremities with the said channel, substantially as described.

2. A stationary concentrating sluice inclined both longitudinally and transversely, the bottom of the sluice being covered with corrugated rubber, the corrugations being arranged diagonally of the sluice, the bottom of the sluice having a channel formed along its upper longitudinal edge, in which the lower extremities of the grooves of the corrugated rubber surface terminate, the transverse inclination of the sluice being so regulated as not to tip the material out of the grooves in the direction of its lower longitudinal edge, whereby the concentrates are discharged into the said channel, substantially as described.

3. A concentrating sluice whose concentrating surface is inclined both longitudinally and transversely, the bottom of the sluice being covered with rubber having corrugations extending diagonally of the length of the sluice, the upper longitudinal edge of the bottom of the sluice having a channel to receive the concentrates from the lower extremities of the grooves formed in the corrugated rubber surface, the transverse inclination of the sluice being so regulated as not to tip the material out of the grooves in the direction of its lower longitudinal edge, and means for feeding the material to be treated to the upper extremity of the sluice, substantially as described.

4. A longitudinally and transversely inclined concentrating sluice whose concentrating surface is provided with diagonally disposed grooves, the bottom of the sluice having a channel arranged along its upper longitudinal edge and in con'imunication with the lower extremities of the diagonally arranged grooves of the concentrating surface, the transverse inclination of the sluice being so regulated as not to tip the material out of the grooves in the direction of its lower longitudinal edge, means for feeding the material to be treated to the upper extremity of the sluice, and means for drawing off the concentrates from the said channel, substantially as described.

5. A longitudinally and transversely inclined concentrating sluice whose concentrating surface is provided with diagonally disposed grooves, the bottom of the sluice having a longitudinally disposed channel in communication with said grooves at the lower extremities of the latter', and means for adjusting the said sluice to regulate the degree of both its longitudinal and transverse inclination, the said longitudinally disposed channel occupying a position at the upper longitudinal edge of the sluice, the transverse inclination of the sluice being so regulated as not to tip the material out of the grooves in the direction of its lower longitudinal edge, substantially as described.

6. A concentrating sluice whose concentrating surface is provided with diagonally disposed grooves, the said sluice being iueliued both longitudinally and transversely, the degree of longitudinal inclination being such that material fed upon the upperextremity of the sluice and of sufficient gravity to settle in the grooves, will follow said grooves and discharge therefrom at their lower extremities which terminate at the upper longitudinal edge of the sluice, and the degree of transverse inclination being so regulated as not to tip the material out of the grooves in the direction of the lower longitudinal edge of the sluiee.

7 A concentrating sluiee inclinedv both longitudinally and transversely, the eoneentrating surface of the sluioe having diagonally arranged grooves whose lower extremities terniinavte at the upper longitudinal edge of the sluice, and the degree of transverse inclination of the sluiee being so regulated as not to tip the material out of the grooves 10 in the direction of its lower longitudinal edge.

In testimony whereof I ax my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM P. OGDEN.

Vitnesses: l

A. J. OBRIEN Jnssn: F. HOBART.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

